SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Artists Phenomenal, Impressive, Excellent, Says Opera Singer

Apr 22, 2023

PURCHASE, N.Y.—Roger and Paula Wangerin attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College on April 22.

Roger Wangerin, a retired professional opera singer, has traveled around the world for his singing career. Paula Wangerin is a language teacher and consultant. Mr. Wangerin said his daughter was among the performers on stage, and said the Shen Yun performers “were excellent.”

Mrs. Wangerin agreed. “It was dynamic, colorful, beautiful, precise, meticulous. It was just a glorious experience. It fills the soul.”

Mr. Wangerin praised the Shen Yun tenor.

“The tenor was excellent. I give it to him. I don’t think it was mic‘d [no microphone] even,” he said. “The soprano was mic’d but he wasn’t. It was a very good sound, very good voice. Well trained. And I really enjoyed him. It was very good.

“We could use him at the Met (The Metropolitan Opera in New York City) ... He was very good. So, send him my compliments if you can. I’m impressed with him,” Mr. Wangerin said.

Mrs. Wangerin extended her thanks, also. “Compliments to all the performers. They were exceptional. And, you know something, there was a decorum which I really miss in other environments.”

They both extended praise to Shen Yun’s artistic director. “The ending’s phenomenal. Very impressive the way they did the ending. That surprised me,” Mr. Wangerin said.

“Outstanding job. Outstanding, caring, meticulous, beautiful job. It’s inspiring,” Mrs. Wangerin said.

Mr. Wangerin also commented on Shen Yun’s live orchestra and said he heard praise for the musicians from others in the audience.

“The music is very impressive. Many people spoke about the orchestra. The sound they created was a bit different than your standard symphony orchestra or orchestras I’ve worked with. They’re very good, a very good sound. What I admired tremendously is that it’s very Asian, very Chinese. [The musicians] are so perfectly together in every move they make. That’s endless hours of practice to do that,” he said.

Mrs. Wangerin also noted how the orchestra played. “What I felt here was unity, a sense of unity and inspiration. I felt renewed,” she said.

Mr. Wangerin said this sentiment echoed in the audience. “A lot of people have used these words exactly, you know, seeing this.”

Mrs. Wangerin noted Shen Yun’s spiritual message. “Visually beautiful, but also there was a profound message of spirituality.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s 5,000 years of traditional culture.

Mr. Wangerin got a sense from Shen Yun of China’s deep culture.

“Very strong message about the spirituality of the Chinese who have a history, probably the greatest history of mankind on this planet when you look at them, really.”

Reporting by Weiyong Zhu.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.